Ready vs spellcasting and AOO with a reach weapon

[Mystern]

i personally think it doesn't matter considering you can't make an aoo against a charging opponent unless you have the feat hold the line.

 

[Scribbler]

i personally think it doesn't matter considering you can't make an aoo against a charging opponent unless you have the feat hold the line.

"Hold the Line" lets you take an AoO against an opponent that enters a square you threaten. You can always take one against someone that exits. The enemy in the OP has a reach weapon, thus being able to take an AoO on opponents that charge him.

So this is a good example of how strict RAW produces silly results. By allowing such a charge to be readied, a slowed character would be able to execute a full round's worth of actions (for him) between his turns, and also allow him to do more between his turns (move full speed and attack once - with a bonus to attack, no less) than a non-slowed character (move full speed or attack once).

If you can only take a standard action, you can only move your full speed on a charge. Normally, you can move double your speed. A slowed character could take this amount of actions on his own turn, and readying the action means he might not get to take any actions at all.
Plus, you're letting the slowed character charge and not letting the non-slowed character do so. The non-slowed character could move and attack, getting just as far as the charging slow character with no attack bonus but no AC penalty; he could charge charge, moving twice as far as the slow character; or he could double-move and not attack, still moving farther than the slow character.

I think I'd allow someone to ready a standard-action charge. A readied action is an example of a time when you're restricted to a single move or attack action, after all.

 

[frankthedm]

Charging is a full round action. If you can't take Full Round actions you can still charge as a standard or move action. So, you could ready a charge if you were Slowed, but not normally. Which seems quite odd.

SRD:

"If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn."

Actually, that still does not work. A ready happens when it is not your turn. The window to 'partial charge' closes as soon as your turn ends.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialInitiativeActions.htm#ready

Ready
The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).

 

[Legildur]

Ah - so you want to ignore the table here, too?

We're just throwing out rules all over the place these days!

And I miss the old 'partial charge' option from 3.0e.

 

[Fifth Element]

Plus, you're letting the slowed character charge and not letting the non-slowed character do so. The non-slowed character could move and attack, getting just as far as the charging slow character with no attack bonus but no AC penalty; he could charge charge, moving twice as far as the slow character; or he could double-move and not attack, still moving farther than the slow character.

The anomaly here is that a slowed character can move and attack (with the charge) as a readied action, while a non-slowed character cannot. A non-slowed character, per RAW, cannot execute a "partial charge". He can therefore move or attack as a readied action, but not both.

A slowed character, despite not being able to take as many actions as a non-slowed one, can do both as a readied action.

 

[frankthedm]

The anomaly here is that a slowed character can move and attack (with the charge) as a readied action, while a non-slowed character cannot. A non-slowed character, per RAW, cannot execute a "partial charge". He can therefore move or attack as a readied action, but not both.

A slowed character, despite not being able to take as many actions as a non-slowed one, can do both as a readied action.

No He can't. The partial charge option exists only on your turn. Readies hapen when it is not your turn.

 

[Fifth Element]

No He can't. The partial charge option exists only on your turn. Readies hapen when it is not your turn.

You can interpret the text that way, but because it doesn't say whether such a partial charge is a standard action (rather than the full-round action as a normal charge), it's unclear.

I would personally not allow a slowed character to charge as a readied action, but it seems the majority believes that this isn't RAW. Not sure I agree.

 

[Hypersmurf]

No He can't. The partial charge option exists only on your turn.

The restricted charge option exists if you are restricted to a standard or move action on your turn.

If you are Slowed, you are restricted to a standard or move action on your turn... even when it isn't your turn, you are still a person who is restricted to a standard or move action on your turn.

-Hyp.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

"Hold the Line" lets you take an AoO against an opponent that enters a square you threaten. You can always take one against someone that exits.

sort of true. Hold the Line lets you take an AoO on someone that charges into a threatened area. If they don't charge in and just move in instead, there is no AoO gained from Hold the Line. Though the AoO for moving out of a threatened square still applies whether they charge or not.